LONDON, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday that he had not joined the club just to win the Champions League.
Guardiola made the comments in his pre-game press conference ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarterfinal second leg tie against Tottenham, where his players have to overcome a 1-0 deficit after Son Heung-Min's winner at White Hart Lane last week.
On Monday, Guardiola had told Sky Sports he was confident that City would be able to take their place in the semifinals, but facing the press 24 hours later, he was looking to lift the pressure from himself and his players.
"I know people say I came here to win the Champions League, but I didn't come here to win the Champions League," Guardiola said. "I came here to play the way my team has been playing in the last 20 months. That is why I came here - to play the way I want to play, and of course I want to win the Champions League."
Guardiola's last Champions League title was won with FC Barcelona in 2011 after he led the Catalans to a memorable 3-1 win over Manchester United at Wembley, but he has not led a team to Europe's biggest club trophy in the following eight years.
"I was at a big club in Bayern Munich and after three seasons I won absolutely everything except the Champions League. It was a big failure. What can I say? I accept that, I know that. I have to live with that but it is not a big, big problem," he commented, adding that "you have to accept the other teams were better in this competition."
The Manchester City coach highlighted that many big clubs such as Real Madrid have failed to reach the last eight, saying that winning the Champions League was about "how you handle things for 11 months."
"That is why I have said many times the Premier League, for me, is the most important title, showing every three days that you are there. Being there every time sends out a good message," he commented.
